What is diastolic hypertension?
In a blood pressure reading, the number on top represents your systolic blood pressure, which is the force exerted by your heart when it contracts. The number on the bottom represents your diastolic blood pressure, which is the force exerted on your arteries when your heart relaxes and fills with blood.
Elevated systolic or diastolic pressure is called hypertension or high blood pressure. When only the diastolic pressure is elevated, the condition is called isolated diastolic hypertension. The condition may be a normal consequence of aging or seen in some diseases, such as diabetes mellitus.
What are signs and symptoms of diastolic hypertension?
Diastolic hypertension or general hypertension may or may not cause signs or symptoms. Because of this, it’s important to get your blood pressure checked at least twice a year.
If symptoms do exist, they may include:
How is diastolic hypertension treated?
Your doctor may order blood tests to assess your cholesterol levels, kidney function, etc. to determine the cause of your hypertension. For most people, hypertension is caused by an unhealthy lifestyle. If your increase in blood pressure is mild, your doctor will probably recommend making some lifestyle changes before prescribing medications.
Lifestyle changes include:
- Obesity: Weight gain or obesity (especially abdominal obesity) can cause a rise in blood pressure. Aim to maintain a body mass index between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m2. If you are overweight, you can try to lose about 2 pounds a week but don’t do more than that.
- Sodium intake: Limit your salt intake to 1,500 milligrams or less per day. Avoid packaged, processed foods because they often contain more sodium.
- Alcohol consumption: Drink alcohol only in moderation. Men should limit themselves to 2 drinks a day and women to 1 drink a day.
- Caffeine: Drinking too much coffee or consuming caffeinated products in excess can contribute to hypertension. If you have high blood pressure, don’t have anything with caffeine just before exercising.
- Smoking: Smoking causes plaque buildup in the walls of your arteries and leads to high blood pressure. Ask your doctor about what can help you quit smoking.
- Exercise: The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends doing about 90 and 150 minutes of physical activity spread throughout the week or at least 30 minutes each day for at least 5 days of the week.
- Medications: Certain medications that can cause an increase in blood pressure include some antidepressants, nasal decongestants, and birth control pills, among others. Talk to your doctor about which medications may be causing your hypertension, and they may change the prescribed medications.
- Stress: Manage your stress by engaging in activities that relax you and make you happy. Listen to music, take a stroll in the park, take up gardening, dance, etc. Deep breathing and meditation may also help reduce blood pressure.
SLIDESHOW
How to Lower Blood Pressure: Exercise and Tips See SlideshowWhat medications treat diastolic hypertension?
If lifestyle changes do not help lower your blood pressure or if your blood pressure is very high, your doctor may prescribe the following medications to treat hypertension:
- Calcium channel blockers
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
- Water pills or diuretics
- Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)
- Beta-blockers
What are risk factors for hypertension?
- Age: The risk of hypertension increases with age.
- Sex: Men and women are at equal risk of developing hypertension. But while men are more likely to develop high blood pressure before the age of 55, women tend to develop it after menopause.
- Family history: If someone in your family suffers from hypertension, you are at a higher risk of developing the condition.
- Ethnicity: African Americans seem to be at a higher risk for developing hypertension as compared to other ethnic groups.
Alexander MR. Hypertension. Medscape. https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/241381-overview
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High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a disease in which pressure within the arteries of the body is elevated. About 75 million people in the US have hypertension (1 in 3 adults), and only half of them are able to manage it. Many people do not know that they have high blood pressure because it often has no has no warning signs or symptoms.
Systolic and diastolic are the two readings in which blood pressure is measured. The American College of Cardiology released new guidelines for high blood pressure in 2017. The guidelines now state that blood normal blood pressure is 120/80 mmHg. If either one of those numbers is higher, you have high blood pressure.
The American Academy of Cardiology defines high blood pressure slightly differently. The AAC considers 130/80 mm Hg. or greater (either number) stage 1 hypertension. Stage 2 hypertension is considered 140/90 mm Hg. or greater.
If you have high blood pressure you are at risk of developing life threatening diseases like stroke and heart attack.
REFERENCE: CDC. High Blood Pressure. Updated: Nov 13, 2017.
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Which Is More Important: Systolic or Diastolic Blood Pressure?
Systolic blood pressure is often given more attention as a risk factor for heart disease. However, both systolic and diastolic blood pressure are equally important in monitoring the health of your heart.labetalol
Labetalol is a medication prescribed for the treatment of high blood pressure. The most common side effects of labetalol are fatigue, dizziness, nausea, headache, diarrhea, edema (fluid accumulation), and shortness of breath. Other important side effects include sexual dysfunction, abnormal heart rhythm, slow heart rate, liver failure, and allergic reactions. Consult your doctor before taking if pregnant or breastfeeding.metoprolol
Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL) is a beta-adrenergic blocking agent drug, which blocks the action of the sympathetic nervous system (a portion of the involuntary nervous system). Metoprolol is prescribed to treat high blood pressure (hypertension), heart pain (angina), heart rhythm disorders, and some neurological conditions. Side effects include fever, impotence, sore throat, nausea, depression, insomnia, constipation, memory loss, and high blood pressure.
Portal Hypertension
Portal hypertension is most commonly caused by cirrhosis, a disease that results from scarring of the liver. Other causes of portal hypertension include blood clots in the portal vein, blockages of the veins that carry the blood from the liver to the heart, and a parasitic infection called schistosomiasis. Symptoms of portal hypertension include varices (enlarged veins), vomiting blood, blood in the stool, black and tarry stool, ascites (abnormal fluid collection within the peritoneum, the sac that contains the intestines within the abdominal cavity), confusion and lethargy, splenomegaly or enlargement of the spleen, and decreased white blood cell counts.
Pulmonary Hypertension
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A diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of somewhere between 60 and 90 mm Hg is good in older people. Causes of low DBP include bed rest, dehydration, loss of water, alcohol use, hormone deficiencies, allergic reactions, nutritional deficiencies and prolonged standing leading to blood pooling in the legs.
What Does It Mean When the Diastolic Number is High?
A high diastolic reading (equal to or greater than 120 mmHg) is linked to a higher risk of heart disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm, and other cardiovascular problems.
What Is High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)?
High blood pressure or hypertension is when the blood pressure readings consistently range from 140 or higher for systolic or 90 or higher for diastolic. Blood pressure readings above 180/120 mmHg are dangerously high and require immediate medical attention.